Citadelum

The Caesar series by Impressions Games and Sierra Entertainment, and later by Tilted Mill Entertainment and Activision, which was particularly popular in Germany, ended in 2006 with Caesar 4. Since then, there have been only a few city-building games set in ancient Rome, a gap that Abylight Barcelona wants to fill with Citadelum. Especially as the setting is set to become more popular again in the future.

Citadelum is a traditional city-builder with strategic elements that go beyond building. Set in Ancient Rome, Late Republic and Early Empire, and inspired by the classic works of Virgil's Aeneid and Ovid's Metamorphoses, Citadelum combines historical background with mythical experience. Players start with a small settlement, collect and refine resources, and develop it into a majestic city - all based on a grid map with 90°-degree corners. Players will need to gather more and more resources to meet the growing needs of the population, especially when it comes to water supply via aqueducts. Later on, you will also need to provide wine and build an expensive coliseum to entertain the masses. But it is necessary to build towers and walls to protect the city from the barbarian hordes - and so some citizens have had to join the legions.

In addition to city building, there are two other aspects to the game: exploration and expansion on the world map, and the honour of gaining the favour of the gods. On the map, explorers can discover mythological objects and armies can liberate settlements. Once a territory is secured, players can establish trade routes, import rare materials and expand their economy. Battles take place in an auto-battler format, where the deployment of troops and formations before the battle has a major impact on the outcome. This is reminiscent of Chimera Entertainment's Songs of Silence, where battles also take place automatically after deployment, although you can still intervene by playing cards.

Last but not least, it is about winning the favour of the gods. With temples in the city and offerings and sacrifices, they will give gifts, but there is one small thing to consider. Pleasing one god can anger another. "Interaction with deities allows a non-linear, replayable narrative, full of mythical Encounters", Abylight says. The game features a historical Campaign Mode, Sandbox Mode and an Editor. However, Citadelum does not offer a multiplayer mode.

Abylight Barcelona, founded in 2004, is the development studio behind Citadelum, the studio best known for One Military Camp. Indie publisher Abylight Studios, founded in 2009, has published titles such as Cursed Castilla, Super Hydorah, Exographer and Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition for Switch and iOS. To further expand the Citadelum franchise, Abylight Barcelona is developing another game with a Roman background, Gladiators of Citadelum, which deals with gladiators, another well-known aspect of the Roman Empire. Unlike City Builder, the game is a gladiator management sim where you hire and train gladiators to prove themselves in the arena. There are other upcoming city-building games set in ancient Rome. These include Nova Roma from Lion Shield (Kingdoms and Castles) and Hooded Horse, as well as Pax Augusta from Swiss solo developer Roger Gassmann and publisher Senatis. Not to mention Anno 117: Pax Romana from Ubisoft Mainz and Ubisoft.

Citadelum will be digitally released on PC on 17 October 2024. Console ports are planned, but have not yet been announced.

Conclusion

Citadelum is a classic and competent city builder in a Roman setting, which is currently rather underserved, but will become more popular again in the coming years.

Features

• Classic city-building in a Roman setting
• Expansion, battles and gods extend the concept
• Further games in the franchise planned